


Not Without A Fight

by Val_Creative



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Action, Canon-Typical Gang Behavior, Cute Okumura Eiji, Drunken Shenanigans, Episode 1 Canon AU, Episode Related, Excessive Drinking, Explicit Language, Falling In Love, Fluff, Gangs, Introspection, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Ash Lynx, Protective Ash Lynx, Romantic Friendship, Season/Series 01, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23655916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Val_Creative/pseuds/Val_Creative
Summary: None of Arthur’s men overtake the bar. Skipper and Eiji are not kidnapped and everyone lives. The night goes by fairly uneventful, but it’s clear that Eiji is as innocent as innocent can be. That makes not only Ash edgy, but also some of the more rowdy men in the bar.
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 32
Kudos: 487





	Not Without A Fight

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S 🍌🐟 HOURS. I HAVE MISSED MY BOYS. PLEASE ENJOY.

*

Ash doesn't like surprises if he can help it.

_Surprises get you killed._

That's why he knows every person coming in and out of this bar. Most of them are local street gangs besides Ash's men.

It's pretty quiet at night despite being frequented by hoodlums. Two weeks ago, one of Arthur's boys smashed his knuckles across another guy's face, but that's as much action as Theo's Bar gets: yelling, punching, kicking, and general disruptive behavior.

But… these two newcomers from Japan walking around…

Ash _doesn't_ know.

The taller one in the green overcoat talks politely and appears embarrassed to realize Ash is only seventeen. Ibe is a grown man. That alone feels distrustful. He stumbles over his questions while interviewing Ash for his so-called magazine article.

Ibe's baby-faced assistant, keeping silent and rummaging in the photography equipment, is the one Ash has his eye on.

_Eiji._

Skipper called him _Eiji_.

Theo, who is working tables on the late shift and flirting up a storm, makes a pass at Eiji while serving him a drink and he doesn't seem to notice. She flips her long brown hair and pouts, her high heels clicking. It's her bar. She could throw him out.

Ash gazes between her and Eiji. The weight of his Smith and Wesson 357 gun noticeable while tucked in his jeans.

Eiji isn't much older than Ash. He asks to see Ash's gun, like it means nothing to him, and he handles the weapon like it's a goddamn toy. Ash can admit he's not a great judge of character when it comes to anyone new so he leaves it to Skipper.

Skipper — Ash can trust. Skipper can take one look at a guy after meeting him and tell if they're friend or foe.

Skipper met Eiji and took right to him, grinning cheerfully, inviting an awkward-looking Eiji over to his table for drinks.

Ash's fingers cradle a lukewarm can of Star Light beer. He turns himself on his red-cushioned stool, gulping down the rest, observing their hangout without any specific expression. Bones and Kong are out on patrol. Alex has met up with another leader in Spanish Harlem on Ash's behest.

Viper, Ollie, Mick and Fat Tooth play a game of cards on the far end, arguing and laughing and shove each other.

Joe and Donny "Pistol" Dalton lower their heads and whisper to each other. Probably sweet nothings.

Mad Max lounges by himself, yanking his hat over his eyes and pretending to fall asleep. He's likely testing Smiler eyeing him.

"What do you think, Boss?" Hawk mumbles when Ash leaves his glass and approaches a pool table. Hawk has dark brown skin and over ninety pounds on Ash. His head shiny-bald. Ash follows Hawk's eyes peering over his sunglasses to the newcomers.

Skipper must have ducked out to piss. Eiji hunches at their little table without anyone nearby, tapping his clean fingernails against his glass.

He's deep in thought. Ash recognizes the look, narrowing his eyes and frowning. What an idiot. A good-looking idiot, but an idiot regardless. Eiji has so much black, fluffy hair. Pale skin with no evidence of scars and dark eyes that seem so…

_Innocent._

He's innocent and it's making Ash edgy. He can't figure it out if this is a good or bad feeling heightened in his chest. It's leaning more towards bad. Ash hates this, really hates this, but he now has yet another person to look out for.

"They're fine," Ash responds, grabbing a pool stick. "They came for what they wanted. They'll be outta here."

Peewee grunts.

"Not soon enough," he comments, nodding towards another table. Peewee's nasal stud flashes under the light. "Look."

Ash side-eyes Dagger and his boys getting rowdy. They've been in the shadows, keeping out of the way, glaring and cursing and spitting on the floor. They've decided to glare right at Eiji. Ash knows exactly why: Eiji isn't part of any neighborhood gang. He doesn't _belong_ here. He's dressed like a church boy and looks like a squealer if there was trouble.

Dagger's chair loudly topples over. Ash acts fast, moving to another side of pool table where it blocks off everyone's path. He deliberately situates himself between the lumbering gangsters and Eiji looking up in alarm. Skipper returns, wide-eyed.

The bar goes hushed. Mick elbows a gawking Ollie hard. Joe's cigarette, still burning red, drops from his lips.

Ibe nervously remains where he is, wringing his hands and staring pleadingly at Ash's back.

Ash leans over, ignoring the other gangsters for a moment to sink the violet 4-ball. He peers back up into Dagger's eyes.

Dagger may be one stupid motherfucker, but Ash expected better than him to pull any reprehensible bullshit _while Ash is there_.

One of Dagger's boys murmurs something. They all reek like alcohol.

Dagger listens, growling out to Ash and stumbling past him for the exit. So maybe he did know better, Ash thinks. Drunkards sometimes acted stupider than usual. He's not gonna hold it against Dagger.

Theo lets out a sigh of relief as soon as they're gone, pressing a hand over her bosom. She whistles, twirling a finger, signaling for everyone to go back to their own business.

Ash tosses his pool stick into his left hand, relaxing.

"… You good?" he calls out softly, looking over his shoulder. Eiji gives a confused _"hmm?"_ and Ash rolls his eyes.

How can this guy be so _oblivious_?

He's only known Eiji for half an hour and… Ash regrets everything. Everything he agreed to tonight.

If anyone tries to get to Eiji at this point, they will have to try to get through Ash first. And likely Skipper. Mainly, it's Skipper. Ash wouldn't even face Skipper's _wrath_. He has no problem backing off and enjoying the show if Skipper wanted to knife open some assholes.

"This is your problem now, Skip," Ash grumbles, seeing that devilish look in Skipper's eye.

*

Shorter gives him a frantic ring later.

Arthur's men planned on coming and ambushing them at Theo's Bar. It seems like Alex gathered whoever was out, and Shorter helped out with reinforcements, and they managed to push Arthur and his men back into whatever hole they crawled out of.

He will have to deal with Arthur at some point.

Fat Tooth inspects some of the new, bold-bright graffiti on a beam. One of Theo's new bartenders coughs into his elbow. Ash notices that less of his men are here. Their hangout vacates slowly. He drains another can of beer, pitching it away.

"See ya," he mumbles to Theo who winks prettily towards Ash and blows a lipstick-red kiss. In her fucking dreams maybe.

Skipper helps a woozy, glassy-eyed Eiji stand up. The latter barely has control over his limbs.

"What is he? A lightweight?" Ash remarks to Skipper, curling his upper lip. There's too many empty glasses on their table. Skipper must have ordered out the bar, teasing and encouraging his new best friend to drink until Eiji got shitfaced.

"Must be."

Ash _ttchs!_ and gestures to Skipper.

"Give him here," he says firmly, pulling on Eiji's arm. Skipper allows it. Ash bends his knees as he pulls the rest of Eiji in his direction, slinging the drunken Japanese man over his shoulder comfortably. He carries Eiji out of the bar like it's nothing.

Eiji mumbles drowsily while they're on the steps, going up. Ash doesn't hear any familiar syllable of English.

"Don't worry, I've got you," Ash mumbles back, sighing in exasperation.

Out by the road, he spots Ibe and another man with red hair. Charlie Dickenson — a NYPD homicide detective. _Geez_.

"Hey!" Ibe shouts, waving towards them.

Ash goes for the already opened car door, unslinging Eiji. "You left this," he retorts to the two men. Ibe's face turns pink.

"Thanks for—"

"Don't mention it," Ash snaps, and then he hesitates.

In the doorway, Eiji's fingers curl to a loose, green-plaid sleeve tied to Ash's waist. Eiji's gaze feels searching and soft on him. He's not gonna remember a damn thing when morning comes, but Ash can't find it in him to force Eiji away.

Ash snorts, his lips quirking up. "You want a goodnight kiss or somethin', dumbass?"

He doesn't mean it. Being crass is Ash's default.

Eiji shakes his head a little, murmuring _"night, night"_ in a clearly drunken but adorable way. Ash's heart stutters.

His fingers slip away. Ash shocks himself with the unanswered need to take Eiji's fingers into his, lurching off the curb and slamming the car door shut before it happens. There's a hint of _"night"_ brimming on Ash's lips, trailing out of existence like smoke.

Charlie's vehicle drifts away, with all of its occupants safely inside and leaving Ash and Skipper by the alleyway.

Skipper hums, locking his hands behind his head and smirking. "I like Eiji too," he comments.

Ash scoffs lightly but can't tear his eyes from the dulling red glow of back-lights.

Okay, well, surprises didn't get him killed.

Not tonight anyway.

Maybe Ash is being stupid himself, but he has a feeling… _good or bad_ … that this won't be the last time he sees Eiji Okumura.

*


End file.
